Techniques for communicating and managing congestion in a wireless network

Abstract

Techniques are described that can be used to communicate congestion information concerning a downlink or uplink. In response to congestion on a link, a device can attempt to receive traffic on another network, scan for another node, or enter sleep mode for a time. In some cases, determination of congestion can be made based on an amount of time a packet is enqueued as well as the number of packets that experience a similar amount of enqueuing delay.

1 . A method performed by a computer system, the method comprising:
 receiving link congestion information of a link on a wireless network and   determining an action to perform in response to the congestion information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein link congestion information is received in reserved bits of one of a Primary Super Frame header message, a Secondary Super Frame header, or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein link congestion information is described using one bit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein link congestion information is described using multiple bits. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action is selected from a group consisting of: requesting to obtain communications from another wireless network, identifying another base station in the wireless network, and entering wait mode. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from a base station an indication of an action to perform.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining quality of experience of at least one application based in part on downlink channel quality and   requesting transmission of the quality of experience of at least one application to a base station.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein link congestion information is based in part on a time packets are queued and a number of packets that are queued. 
     
     
         9 . A method performed by a computer system, the method comprising:
 determining congestion on one or more of an up link or a down link and   requesting transmission of a congestion report based on the determined congestion.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determining congestion comprises one or more of:
 determining whether all channels on a link are used and   determining whether a percentage of channels on a link are allocated and determining whether the percentage exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the requesting transmission comprises:
 requesting transmission of the congestion report in reserved bits of a message, the message comprising one or more of: a Primary Super Frame header message, a Secondary Super Frame header, or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) message   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 requesting transmission of an indication of an action to perform, wherein the action is selected from a group consisting of: requesting to obtain communications from another wireless network, identifying another base station in the wireless network, and entering wait mode.   
     
     
         13 . A mobile station comprising:
 a display device and   a computing system communicatively coupled to the display device, the computer system configured to:
 receive link congestion information of a link on a wireless network and 
 determine an action to perform in response to the congestion information. 
   
     
     
         14 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein link congestion information is received in reserved bits of one of a Primary Super Frame header message, a Secondary Super Frame header, or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) message. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein the action is selected from a group consisting of: requesting to obtain communications from another wireless network, identifying another base station in the wireless network, and entering wait mode. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile station of  claim 13 , wherein the computer system is also configured to:
 determine quality of experience of at least one application based in part on downlink channel quality and   request transmission of the quality of experience of at least one application to a base station.   
     
     
         17 . A base station comprising:
 one or more antennas;   a radio; and   a computing system communicatively coupled to the display device, the computer system configured to:
 determine congestion on one or more of an up link or a down link and 
 request transmission of a congestion report based on the determined congestion. 
   
     
     
         18 . The base station of  claim 17 , wherein to determine congestion, the computer system is to perform one or more of:
 determine whether all channels on a link are used and   determine whether a percentage of channels on a link are allocated and determine whether the percentage exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         19 . The base station of  claim 17 , wherein to request transmission of a congestion report, the computer system is to request transmission of a congestion report in reserved bits of a message, the message comprising one or more of: a Primary Super Frame header message, a Secondary Super Frame header, or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) message. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the computer system is further configured to:
 request transmission of an indication of an action to perform, wherein the action is selected from a group consisting of: requesting to obtain communications from another wireless network, identifying another base station in the wireless network, and entering wait mode.